Drunk driver who hit house gets jail time

David Kevin Wayne Snowdon to serve sentence on weekends after crashing into Cornwall house. - FILE

A P.E.I. man who hit a house with a vehicle while driving drunk was sentenced Monday to 90 days in jail.

David Kevin Wayne Snowdon, 33, appeared before Chief Judge Nancy Orr in provincial court in Charlottetown where he pleaded guilty to damaging property, driving while disqualified, failing the breathalyzer and breaching his probation.

Crown attorney Jeff MacDonald told the court that on March 30 the RCMP responded to a collision in Cornwall after a vehicle hit a house.

A witness who was in the vehicle said Snowdown was the driver and the two had been out for a few drinks.

The witness told the RCMP he thought Snowdown was OK to drive.

MacDonald said Snowdown was belligerent with the RCMP on the way to the detachment and that the behaviour continued once they arrived.

Snowdon provided breathalyzer samples that were about twice the legal limit.

His licence was suspended at the time because of unpaid fines related to a previous conviction for failing the breathalyzer.

The court heard that while he was in custody, Snowdon hit his head off a wall until he cracked the drywall and made a hole in it.

MacDonald said an officer had to take Snowdon to the ground and handcuff him when he started making another hole.

He was taken to hospital and had minor injuries, including cuts on his arm and a bruise on his left shoulder from the seatbelt.

Before hearing his sentence, Snowdon said he was embarrassed.

“I turned a vehicle into a weapon,” he said.

Snowdon also said alcohol had destroyed his life and any potential he had.

Orr told Snowdon he was lucky to walk away from the crash.

Snowdon will serve his sentence on weekends, which Orr said was to allow him to pay off his outstanding fines, which continued to haunt him.

“You need to get that dealt with,” she said.

Snowdon will be on probation for two years after he finishes serving his sentence and must provide 100 hours of community service instead of paying a fine for the most recent conviction.

He is banned from driving for two years.

Orr also ordered Snowdon to write an apology letter to the police officers who dealt with him or apologize in person, if that is deemed appropriate.

Snowdon said he already had the chance to apologize to one of the officers for how he acted.